Information-Processing Alternatives for Coping with Manufacturing Environment Complexity

Investment in information systems and technology is often justified as a necessary strategy for coping with the increased complexity and information needs of today/s manufacturing environments. However, the world class manufacturing paradigm suggests that increased complexity is not always necessary to meet the needs of markets and customers. Galbraith/s (1973, 1977) seminal information-processing model is applied to a manufacturing environment, supported by the world class manufacturing paradigm, to test the role of various information-processing alternatives for coping with increased environmental complexity. Moderated regression and multiple discriminant analysis are used to test hypotheses in a sample of 164 manufacturing plants. Environmental complexity was found to be related to manufacturing performance for each of the five dependent variables. This relationship was moderated by at least one information-processing alternative for each dependent variable, including self-contained tasks, lateral relations, and environmental management strategies for reducing manufacturing, supplier, and goal diversity. Investments in information systems and reduction of labor and customer diversity did not moderate this relationship. Practices that were found to be particularly effective in moderating this relationship included the use of multifunctional employees, communication of manufacturing strategy, coordination of decision making, product design simplicity, reduction of parts counts, supervisory interaction facilitation, recruiting and selection for flexible employees, JIT practices, blanket purchase orders, and strong customer relationships.     

Integration Between Business Planning and Information Systems Planning: Validating a Stage Hypothesis

This paper proposes and empirically validates a stages of growth model for the evolution of Information Systems Planning (ISP). A questionnaire survey of senior IS executives is used to gather information pertaining to the stages of growth model, which includes measurement of the nature and level of integration between business planning (BP) and ISP. The del test is used to validate empirically benchmark variables for each stage of BP-ISP integration. The results support the stages of growth model of BP-ISP integration and the benchmark variables are generally found to be successful in predicting the stage of integration.     

Star-Type Systematic Sampling Schemes for Finite Populations

Two new sampling schemes namely, Star-Type Systematic (STS) sampling without replacement and Modified Star-Type Systematic (MSTS) sampling without replacement for estimation of finite population means are introduced. The relative performances of the proposed star-type systematic sample means along with those of the simple random and systematic sample means are assessed for a hypothetical population with a linear trend and also for certain natural populations. Furthermore, the usefulness of the proposed sampling schemes in quality control and for constructing partial diallel crosses in mating designs are briefly break discussed.     

对我国稳健货币政策的协调弹性分析

本文针对2003年以来物价水平上涨幅度过大、信贷增长过快、通货膨胀压力突现、中央银行两次调整法定准备金率的情况,认为这并不意味着国家需要放弃实施“稳健货币政策”,协调弹性是“稳健”的核心所在。货币政策诸目标的均衡选择、强调总量调控的同时重视政策工具的灵活搭配运用、解决传导机制的梗阻等问题均要从协调的角度去理解分析。     

高校教育科研课题质量控制之探索

课题研究是高校教师参与教育科研活动的主要形式,在教育科研过程中存在着一些影响教育科研课题质量与效益的偶然因素和系统因素,为有效地提高高校教育科研课题研究的效益与效率,我们必须实行高校教育科研课题立项前、课题实施过程中、课题结束后的全程全方位的持续跟踪质量控制,对影响高校教育科研课题质量的可控因素施加干预,使课题研究质量朝理想的方向发展。     

《地下水污染与防治》课程双语教学研究与实践

双语教学是国内各高等院校提高教育教学质量的举措之一。依据课程设置特点,合肥工业大学在教学中对环境工程专业开设的《地下水污染与防治》课程双语教学模式进行了改进。对授课效果的调查结果表明,该教学模式可行、教学效果良好;文章结合教学实践对此进行了分析。     

RFID as an Enabler of Improved Manufacturing Performance*

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) versus bar coding has been debated with little quantitative research about how to best use RFID's capabilities and when RFID is more advantageous. This article responds to that need by qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing how RFID facilitates increased traceability and control in manufacturing, which in turn enables the use of more lot splitting and smaller lot sizes. We develop insights about operating policies (RFID vs. bar‐code tracking mechanisms, extent of lot splitting, and dispatching rules) and an operating condition (setup to processing time ratio) that affect the mean flow time and proportion of jobs tardy in a job shop. A simulation model is used to control factors in the experimental design and the output is evaluated using analysis of variance. The results show the following: (i) performance worsens when bar coding is used with extensive lot splitting, (ii) process changes such as extensive lot splitting may be required to justify RFID use instead of bar coding, (iii) the earliest operation due date dispatching rule offers an attractive alternative to other rules studied in previous lot splitting research, and (iv) the performance improvements with RFID and increased lot splitting are larger when the setup to processing time ratio is smaller. In a broader context, we fill a research void by quantitatively showing how RFID can be used as an advanced manufacturing technology that enables more factory automation and better performance along several dimensions. The article concludes by summarizing the results and identifying ideas for future research.     

实验市场中的股权结构、信息与控制权收益

实验室环境下的决策过程研究可以较好地考察决策变量的行为基础和动态临界值.本文以中国股市中的股权结构为背景,在实验框架下考察了股权结构、信息披露和控制权收益的关系.文章先从理论上计算股东的夏普利值并以此代表股东控制权.再分不同设置变量来实验地考察控制权收益.结果表明:(1)股东控制权越平均,控制权收益越少;大股东与小股东形成"核"联盟的机会越多,其取得控制权的机会越少.(2)信息对控制权收益的影响主要体现在信息在联盟的形成和维持中的作用.(3)大股东夏普利值的高低和信息情况决定了联盟的方式.(4)控制权溢价并不一定就是控制权收益,也许只是大股东为防止自身利益被侵害而支付的成本.(5)信息不完全不一定是坏事,部分信息的隐含更能增加公司的分配效率.     

国外毒品相关犯罪防控的社会政策及评价

毒品引发的犯罪问题已经引起国际社会广泛关注,各国出台了各种措施防控毒品引发的犯罪,基本形成了一套普遍性和针对性相结合的社会政策体系。本文总结区分3个层次:针对社会整体状况及一般公民的普遍性预防政策、针对极有可能成为毒品相关犯罪的受害者或犯罪者的特定防控政策以及针对参与过毒品相关犯罪人群的专项防控政策;并以此为线索系统梳理评价政策实施效果的相关理论和实证研究成果,为我国制定相关政策提供相关启示和借鉴。